Eyebrow tattooing is not a new phenomena: The technique dates back to 1920s but is nowadays a common procedure. Eyebrow tattooing is a form of permanent make up that has gone through major developments and has become a staple for those who believe beauty requires pain. There are two types of eyebrow tattoos--permanent and temporary. Permanent tattoo inks are made of carbon pigments applied with a tattoo gun. However, if you fear being stuck with the same eyebrow shape that may not be so attractive you'll be better off with a temporary tattoo. Temporary tattoos contain natural substances and herbs mingled with pigments which last for one month. Noha al-Kady, a medical skin care consultant, says the majority of her clients are women over 40 who come to fill the gaps where their brow hairs have stopped growing. However, she says, young women also come to apply tattoos for aesthetic purposes. Much like an eyebrow pencil, eyebrow tattoos give a more defined look, particularly accentuating smaller eyes. Another factor that encourages women to apply this kind of tattoo is the time it saves. If you spend time drawing on your eyebrows every time you go out, a permanent tattoo will take one thing off your list and remove any chance for makeup mistakes. Besides aesthetic reasons, according to al-Kady, permanent tattoos are a very good solution for people who suffer from alopecia, a form of hair loss, as it gives them back the natural look they want. “Before undergoing a permanent tattoo procedure, your skin must be tested to avoid any complications,” she warns. Initial consultation with your cosmetic professional is also a must. “You have to take into consideration whether the color you are selecting for your new eyebrows matches your hair color and skin tone,” al-Kady notes. Permanent tattoo procedures are totally safe as long as sanitary measures are taken, says Eman Negm, medical skin care consultant. She says a topical anesthetic ointment should also be applied to the brow area to kill the pain during the procedure. If your tattoo is applied by a professional cosmetician, there should be no side effects. “You can resume your normal routine after the procedure without even using healing cream,” explains Negm. Al-Kady says a temporary tattoo is a better choice for those afraid of the risks involved with using permanent ink. Yasmin Azmy agrees. “I applied a temporary eyebrow tattoo two weeks ago to increase the thickness of my eyebrows,” Azmy explains. “But it turned out to be too thick and affected my appearance negatively.” Azmy's plan is to stick to temporary tattoos until she has chosen the shape that most suits her before getting a permanent tattoo. Before selecting your permanent tattoo, you should check out a lot of eyebrow designs for similar face shapes to yours to guarantee a satisfactory appearance. “If the result is undesirable, it is quite difficult to remove it as it requires surgery,” says al-Kady. Negm recommends going for a temporary tattoo using the "brush stroke technique." “It's a new method we employ to give a very natural look, and causes much less pain than a permanent tattoo,” she says. Sally Abeid, 29, preferred to apply a temporary tattoo as eyebrow shapes and trends change every now and then. “This way I can reshape my eyebrow according my hairstyle and color.” The procedure generally only takes one hour and costs from LE800 to LE1500. Noha al-Kady Beauty Salon Mansour Mohamed Street, Zamalek Tel.: 010 1506047 - 02 26212211 Emy Beauty Salon Address: 44 Abdel Monein Riad Street, Cairo Medical Tower, Mohandessin Tel.: 02 33033290 - 010 9002244
